đắt quá
[ʔɗat̚˧˦ kwaː˧˦]word by word
In Vietnamese, "too expensive" is translated as đắt quá.
The phrase is used to indicate that a price is higher than what is reasonable or affordable. It can be used as a standalone exclamation to express shock or to signal a refusal during price negotiations.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective đắt (expensive) and the adverb quá (too or excessively).
Which one should you use?
While đắt simply means "expensive", adding quá changes the meaning to "too expensive", which expresses a sense of excess or dissatisfaction.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Vietnamese dialects, you can use the informal phrase Đắt dữ to convey that something is too expensive or the common alternative mắc quá.
Did you know?
- The Southern phrase Đắt dữ uses dữ (which normally means 'fierce' or 'wild') to intensify the price, effectively saying the price is 'fiercely' expensive.
- The word quá is a Sino-Vietnamese term derived from the Chinese character 過, which carries the meaning of crossing a boundary or exceeding a limit.
- Using đắt quá with an exaggerated tone of shock can sometimes be used jokingly among friends to tease someone for being 'fancy' or 'high-maintenance'.
Examples in context
- Đắt quá!Too expensive!This example shows how to use đắt quá as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #13896803 by leucammieuvu, translation #1216306 by jared1981
- Hễ tôi kiếm được cái gì tôi thích thì nó lại đắt quá.Whenever I find something I like, it's too expensive.This sentence uses đắt quá to describe the feeling of finding something liked but being unable to afford it.Tatoeba #5704 by autuno, translation #1372 by brauliobezerra
- Đắt quá! Có giảm giá không?Too expensive! Can you lower the price?
- Cái túi này đắt quá.This bag is too expensive.
Example conversation
Tuấn and Lan are shopping at a clothing store.
- TuấnLan ơi, chiếc váy này đẹp không?Lan, is this dress beautiful?
- LanĐẹp, nhưng đắt quá Tuấn ơi.It's beautiful, but it's too expensive, Tuấn.
- TuấnVậy chúng ta xem cái khác nhé.Then let's look at something else.
- LanĐược, đi thôi.Okay, let's go.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (đắt, quá) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quá, đắt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
